Hua Hin is a beach
resort town in Thailand in the northern part of Malaysia, some 200km south of
Bangkok,It has a population of 84,883 in an area of 911km, and is one of eight
districts(Amphoe) of the Prachuap Khiri Khan province.Hua Hin is closely associated
with the Thai royalty and is popular seaside resort.
Hua Hin Train Station
The train station has become a popular tourist attraction. Its quaint,
East-meets-West architectural style stands in stark contrast to the modern
hotel buildings and outdoor malls that have become an integral part of 21st
century Hua Hin’s skyline.
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Hua Hin Night MarketHua Hin Night Market is a place to indulge in
food and drink but that is not to say that the shopping should go unmissed. As
any savvy market-goer will testify, finding the good stuff is more often than
not about getting into the thick of it – keep your ears and eyes peeled in
other words. The sort of stuff you can expect to see goes along the lines of
jewelry, crafts, some Buddhist tokens, beachwear, funky lamps and some
counterfeit goods. The counterfeit goods here don’t feature as prominently as
say, Bangkok, but you can still get your hands on a good ‘Chanel’ handbag or
pair of ‘Adidas’ trainers.
Women’s fashions in the form of dresses, skirts, shirts and tops feature quite
prominently as do accessory stands where intricate, hand crafted pieces can be
bought. Essentially this is a good area for some pre- or post-dinner shopping,
especially if you’re looking to buy souvenirs or traditional Thai crafts.
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Plern Wan shopping village
Not just a themed open-air mall, Plearn Wan feels more like a living museum
where you can experience a slice of life in 1950s Hua Hin. Plern Wan’s
two-storey courtyard-style building, an architectural statement in itself,
houses a community of period-style shops selling everything from liquor,
inexpensive plastic-and-tin toys, snacks as well as a beauty salon, photo
studio, outdoor cinema screen and a 20-room guesthouse or ‘Piman Plern Wan’.
Not just a themed open-air mall, Plearn Wan feels more like a living museum
where you can experience a slice of life in 1950s Hua Hin. Plern Wan’s
two-storey courtyard-style building, an architectural statement in itself,
houses a community of period-style shops selling everything from liquor,
inexpensive plastic-and-tin toys, snacks as well as a beauty salon, photo
studio, outdoor cinema screen and a 20-room guesthouse or ‘Piman Plern Wan’.
Food is the main highlight at Plearn Wan. But other than the usual pad thai
or grilled meat skewers, you will find a good mix of old and new. Hard-to-find
snacks, such as ‘tong muan sod’ (sweetened pancake) and ‘ka lor jee’ (similar
to Japanese mochi), are cooked up by order at one of the hawker carts lining
the walkway along with typical fare such as noodles and barbecued pork over
rice. And if you are a fan of Thai sweets, you will find a myriad of
mouthwatering recipes here, from mango sticky rice to grass jelly with shaved
ice and preserved fruits in sweetened syrup.
Besides hopping from one food cart to the next, shopping is another
favourite pastime for visitors to Plern Wan. The collection of one-off
souvenirs, toys, clothing, fashion accessories and even a shop selling various
kinds of ‘nam prik’ (chili paste) is quite impressive – even if you don’t buy
anything, it makes for quite a pleasurable look around.
Living up to its name (Plern Wan means the ‘joy of yesteryear’), Plern Wan
has a fairground complete with a Ferris wheel, game booths and an outdoor
cinema where screenings take place on weekend evenings.
